Unraveling the mystery of Africa's fairy circles.

The mystery of the fairy circles in the Namib Desert in southern Africa, which has long puzzled scientists, has been solved thanks to the use of computer simulation technology.

Fairy circles in Africa. Photo: Danita Delimont Creative/Alamy Stock.

Ecologists from Princeton University in the US used computer simulation technology to hypothesize an explanation for the fairy circles in the Namib Desert, according to CBS. They suggest that the complex cooperation and competition between the plant and animal species in the area is the cause of this phenomenon.

Corina Tarnita, the lead author of the study, called it "simple and elegant geometry on a large scale" in the research published in the journal Nature.

Prior to this study, two different explanations had been proposed, including termites or vegetation surrounding the circles. Tarnita's hypothesis borrows from both. The giant circles, ranging in diameter from 2 to 30 meters, are created by termites and other things within their territory.

The irregular shapes of the circles are created by plants so that their roots form an orderly system, sharing the limited water supply in the desert. Termites also contribute to the circles as they try to build nests away from, and not encroach upon, the territory of competing species.

However, each species simply does its own job; they don't consciously create that circular shape. "There's no overall plan, no detailed plan for what will appear," said Robert Pringle, co-author of the study.

Many disagree with the study's conclusions. But everyone agrees that this is not a supernatural phenomenon.

According to VNE